Mardi Gras Shabbat at Emanuel Synagogue

Sydney’s Emanuel Synagogue, together with Dayenu, will host this year’s annual Mardi Gras Shabbat next month.

Rabbi Ninio and Kim Gottlieb

Dayenu is Sydney’s Jewish GLBTI (gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender and intersex) group and maintains a presence within both the Jewish and gay communities. The group meets for social gatherings, to celebrate Jewish festivals and provide counselling, outreach and support to the queer community.

Kim Gotlieb, Dayenu’s Secretary said that this year’s theme for its parade float is Freedom 2 Love; Love 2 B Free which will feature pink triangles – a symbol that emerged from the dark times of Nazi persecution of gays. Gay Jews had to wear a pink triangle over a gold triangle to create the Magen David, the Jewish star. Dayenu now reclaims the power of these colours to represent Pink for Love and Gold for Freedom.

The Mardi Gras Shabbat service and dinner, which take place at Emanuel Synagogue are a highlight on the Dayenu calendar.“We usually get about 100 people who stay on for the dinner after the service– which is fully kosher this year. You don’t have to be a member of Emanuel to attend, or part of the GLBTI community. All are welcome” said Gotlieb.

“The Shabbat service and dinner is a rare opportunity for GLTBI folk to come together and celebrate our queer identity in the context of our Jewish heritage. It is particularly inspiring to see Progressive and Masorti affiliated people, together with members of Sydney’s Orthodox Jewish communities join in” he said.

Gotlieb said that it has been wonderful to have the Rabbis and Emanuel Synagogue supporting gender diversity and that the Synagogue’s support of the Shabbat is much appreciated as well as its ongoing commitment to GLBTI issues, particularly the Marriage Equality debate.

Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio said the Synagogue’s rabbis support equality under the law and she looks forward to the day when she can officiate in marriages between same sex couples.

“We currently conduct commitment ceremonies but it is not the same” she said.

Gotlieb wants Dayenu’s message to reach the gay community in order to promote diversity and religious tolerance.

“In 2017 we look forward to Marriage Equality becoming a reality so that gay couples can stand under the chuppah and be married with full rabbinic endorsement” said Gotlieb.

Comments

I understand that the Torah also forbids lashon hara but you constantly seem to delight in that
You will be pleased to know that neither attendance at the Shabbat dinner nor participating in homosexual activity is compulsory.

When Gotlieb says the event “is fully kosher this year” he is of course referring only to the food. There is nothing remotely kosher about an event which proudly affirms and celebrates a behaviour that the Torah explicitly prohibits.

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